Marjorie Mason displays her “Vineyard Landscapes”

The Christina Gallery hosts an exhibition featuring works by Marjorie Mason, titled “Vineyard Landscapes,” this week, with an artist’s reception on Thursday, August 6 from 5 to 7 pm.

According to a press release, Marjorie Mason started taking art lessons in the first grade, but her career as a professional artist began after she received her B.F.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 1981. While at RISD, Ms. Mason majored in illustration because she wanted to expand her knowledge of the fundamentals of design while learning more about the business of becoming a professional artist. As a result of her academic background, Ms. Mason spent the first 15 years of her career printing monotypes. This unique printing technique produces an image that has the transparency of watercolor while possessing the softness of pastels.

With her success as an artist rooted in her tranquil monotypes, Ms. Mason explains, she “dreamed of the freedom to paint outside in the plein air mode.” She left her printmaking studio and further developed her portfolio to include plein air landscape oil paintings of the Vineyard. This plein air style allows for the rapid growth that comes from an immediate engagement with nature, which is evident in her oil paintings. As a year-round resident of Martha’s Vineyard, Ms. Mason’s work successfully captures the unique character of our beloved Island.

Marjorie Mason’s “Vineyard Landscapes” at the Christina Gallery, North Water and Winter Streets, Edgartown, from Thursday, August 6 through Thursday, August 13. For more information, call 508-627-8794 or visit the website, christina.com.